Conduit system for swimming pools



April 12, 1960 J. F. OGDEN CONDUIT SYSTEM FOR SWIMMING POOLS 5 Sheets-Sheer. l

Filed June 23. 1959 FILTER 3m EN TOR. BY m?, 5am

ATToeA/Eys.

April l2, 1960 J. F. oGDEN 2,932,397

CONDUIT SYSTEM FOR SWIMMING POOLS Filed June 25, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENT OR.

April 12, 1960 J. F. oGDl-:N

CONDUIT SYSTEM FOR SWIMMING FOOLS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 25, 1959 INVENTOR.

mvo/e Ey CONDUT SYSTEM FOR SWIMIVIING POOLS Application .lune 23, 1959, Serial No. 822,234

12 Claims. (Cl. 210--169) This invention relates to a conduit or piping system for swimming pools and more particularly, this invention 1s directed to the standardizing of a conduit system for circulating water between a lter system and a swimming ool.

p -In the construction of swimming pools until the time of this invention, whether the pool be concrete, steel or plastic, it has been the practice to dispose the swimming pool in the ground and to locate a lter system adjacent the swimming pool. Conduits are provided to connect the lter system with the swimming pool so that freshly ltered water may be continuously supplied to the pool and at the same time water from the pool returned to the lter system for processing. Such conduits have been, of necessity, buried in the surrounding terrain (and concrete in the case of some concrete pools), a factor which has made their installation diiiicult and has made almost prohibitively expensive the repair of damaged conduits.

Further, swimming upools normally are provided with gutters along the peripheral wall of the pool, the gutters carrying to the iilter system as much water as is washed into them due to the activity n Vthe swimming pool. In some swimming pool installations, gutters have not even been employed because they are frequently used as receptacles for spittle and are considered unsanitary.

An objective of the present invention has been to simplify the original installation of a swimming pool conduit system, as well as to facilitate future repair of the system. The objective is attained in part by the provision of a peripheral gutter having at least one wall formed as a conduit for supplying ltered water to the pool.

It has been another objective of the invention to provide a peripheral gutter for a swimming pool in which one wall is formed by a supply conduit and to provide means for continuously supplying wash water under pressure to the gutters for the continuous washing of the gutters into the filter system.

In one form of the invention this objective is attained by providing a passage from the swimming pool to the gutter and maintaining a head differential between the bottom of the gutter and the level of the water in the pool so that the gutter is continuously supplied with wash water and thereby maintained in a reasonably sanitary condition. An alternative form which this'objective may take is to provide an outlet from the conduit which forms a wall of the gutter, the outlet being directed into the gutter.

It has been another objective of the invention to provide a conduit system for a swimming pool in which the inner wall of a return gutter is formed by a conduit connected to the ilter system, the conduit having a plurality of spaced outlets for discharging water into the pool, and a second conduit forming the outer wall of the gutter, the second conduit being connected to the lirst conduit at a location remote from the filter system so as to maintain substantially uniform pressure at the outlets surrounding the pool.

These and other objectives of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view the invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional View taken along lines 2 2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of an alternative form of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional view showing a modied form of the invention; and

Pig. 6 is a fragmentary elevational view of an outlet in the embodiment of Fig. 5.

The swimming pool to which the present invention is directed is illustrated as being a steel pool provided with concrete walkways and coping around the periphery of the partly in section illustrating pool. It will be appreciated that the invention will have l application to other types of pools.

In the drawings, the swimming pool is indicated at 10 and has side walls 11 and end walls 12. Concrete walkways and coping surrounding the periphery of the pool are indicated at 13.

The construction of the conduit system can best be understood by reference to Figs. 1 and 2. A return gutter 15 extending around the periphery of the pool is formed by a plate 16 which is, in the form shown, channel-shaped having a leg 17 secured as by welding to the side wall 11 of the pool. Plate 16 forms the bottom wall of the gutter, the Vside walls being formed by conduits 18 and 19. The conduit 19 may be replaced by a vertical strip forming an outer wall for the gutter in the event that the outer wall is not used for the purpose of conveying water from the filter system (see Fig. 5, for example). The inner gutter wall formed by conduit 18 is provided with a plurality of outlets 21 around the periphery of the pool, each outlet may be formed simply by providing the conduit with plural orifices indicated at 22 in Fig. 2, or may be formed by a special tting as shown in Figs. `5 and 6 to be described in detail below. j

vWash water to the gutter is continuously supplied, as shown in Fig. 3, by providing a passageway 23 which connects with the wall of the swimming pool as at 24 and with the bottom plate of the gutter as at 25. As shown in Fig. 3, the level of the pool water indicated at 26 is maintained above the level of the bottom wall of the gutter so that a head diierential continually forces water through the passageway 23 into the gutter. Thus the gutter will be continuously supplied with water so as to maintain the gutter substantially -free from unsanitary matter.

The gutter and `conduit are connected to a lter system indicated at 30 by means of connecting conduits 31. The filter system may be of the usual type containing adsorbent material, a pump and plumbing network for passing water from the pool, through the adsorbent material and back into the pool. The connecting conduits 31 include a central conduit 32 through which iltered Water passes from the lter system across the gutter and into the inner conduit 18. On each side of the central conduit 32 are return conduits 33 which are connected to the gutter as at 34. The water is fed by'gravity from the gutter into the return conduits 33 and on into the filter. Where two conduits 18 and 19 are employed, additional connections will be provided between the ilter system and the conduit 19 for supplying water to conduit 19. Water from the ltering system 30, which will include the usual pump, will be forced through conduit 32 and into conduit 18 through which the water will pass in both directions around the periphery of the pool until it is discharged -into the pool through outlets 21.

The conduit system described above admits of several variations. One variation is illustrated in Fig. 4. Instead of passageways 25 for transferring wash water from the pool to the gutter 15, wash water is supplied directly from conduit 18. To effect the direct supply ofwash water, a pipe 40 is connected to the conduit 18Y at a location remote from the connection of the gutter to the filter system. The pipe 40 is provided with nozzles 41 and 42 which direct a stream of water from the pipe 40 down the gutter. It should be understood that the pipe 40 may be valved as at 43 so as to control the quantity of Wash water continuously supplied to the gutter.

As is shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the walls vof the gutter may be formed not only by conduit 18 but also by a conduit 19. ln a large installation it may be found desirable to supply filtered water not only through conduit 18 but also through conduitr19. In such a design the conduit 19 is not apertured but carries Water around the periphery of the pool to a location remote from the connection of the filter system to conduit 18. A pipe such as pipe 40 shown in Fig. 4 connects conduit 19 to conduit 18. With this design water under substantially the pressure at the outlet of the filter system is delivered to the conduit 1S at the location most remote from the connection of the filter system to the conduit 18` and thus provides a more uniform distribution of Vfiltered water to the pool.

The operation of the invention should be easily understood. Filtered water will be continuously supplied to the pool by means of the conduit 18, the water entering the pool through the orifices spaced around the periphery of the pool. The valve system in the filter plant will be adjusted to maintain the level of the water approximately as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, thatis, above the bottom wall of the gutter. flushed with water from the swimming pool, the water passing from the `swimming pool through the passageway 23 into the gutter. Alternatively, the gutters may be flushed directly with the filtered water from conduit 18, the water being directed through the pipe 40 and out or" nozzles 41and 42.

The lowest point in the bottom of the pool will be provided with the usual drain connected directly to the filter system for carrying the bulk of the Water from the pool to the lter system for continuous recycling.

In the case of the embodiment of Fig. 4, a slow trickle of water may berfound sufficient to maintain the desired cleanliness under normal operating conditions. However, if the occasion should arise, a full flood of water may be forced down the gutter by fully opening the valve 43.

In 4another variation of the invention as. shown in'Figs and 6, the conduit system is supplied with water and the return is substantially as shown in Fig. l. The gutter is formed by a bottom plate 50 which is channelshaped and welded to the steel side wall 52 of the pool. It should be understood, of course, that while a steel side wall is shown in this embodiment, the conduit system is equally applicable to a concrete swimming pool. The outer wall of the gutter is formed by a coping V53 which is contiguous withV concrete walkways ASlt around the periphery of the pool.

`'Ihe inner Wall of the gutter is formed by a conduit 55 which, at one location around the periphery of the pool,'is connected to the outlet of the Vfilter plant to receive a supply of freshly filtered water. The coping 53 and conduit 55 are welded to the plate 50 at 56 and S7.

Around the periphery of the pool, the conduit 55 has slots 58 through which water may pass out of the conduit. The slots cooperate with an outlet fitting 59 secured to the conduit 55 immediately below the slot 58. The fitting is semi-circular and has a chamfered peripheral portion 60 which has a plurality of threaded ports 61, five being -illustrated in this embodiment. A 'I'he-fitting 59 has a convex inner surface which forms ,ahollow The gutters will be continually 4 distribution header with the wall of the pool. Water passing from the conduit through the slot V58 and into the header will be sprayed into the pool through the plural ports 61.

In order to regulate the ow of water around the periphery of the pool, the threaded ports 61 can receive set screws 62 which may be bored to reduce the size of the ports or may be solid to close off selected ports entirely.

yIn a general manner, while there has been disclosed in the above description, what is deemed to be the most practical and eicient embodiment of the invention, it should be well understood that the invention is not limited to such embodiment as there might be changes made in the arrangement, disposition and form of the parts without departing from the principle ofthe present invention as comprehended within the scope of the accompanying claims.

Iclaim:

l. Apparatus comprising, a swimming pool, a return gutter around the periphery of said pool, a bottom wall for said gutter, a peripheral outer wall for said gutter, a peripheral conduit fixed to said bottom wall and forming the inner wall for said gutter, said conduit having a plurality of outlets spaced around the periphery of said pool to discharge water into said pool, and at least one outlet from said peripheral conduit directed toward said gutter to direct wash water from said conduit into said gutter.

2. Apparatus comprising, a swimming pool, a return gutter `around the periphery of said pool, a bottom wall for said gutter, a peripheral outer wall for said gutter, a peripheral conduit fixed to said bottom wall and forming the inner wall for said gutter, said conduit having a plurality of outlets spaced around the periphery of said pool to discharge water into said pool, and at least one inlet passageway from said pool to said gutter for the passage of water from said pool into said gutter.

3. Apparatus comprising, a swimming pool, a return gutter around the periphery of said pool, a bottom wall for said gutter, a peripheral outer wall for said gutter, a peripheral conduit fixed to said bottom wall and forming the inner wall for said gutter, said conduit having a plurality of outlets spaced around the periphery of said pool to discharge water into said pool.

4. Apparatus comprising, a swimming pool, a return gutter around the periphery of said pool, a bottom wall for said gutter, an outer peripheral conduit fixed to said plate andforming an outer wall for said gutter, an inner peripheral conduit fixed to said bottom wall and forming the inner wall for said gutter, said inner conduit having a plurality of outlets spaced around the periphery of said pool to discharge Water into said pool, and a pipe interconnecting said outer and inner conduits for supplying water from said outer conduit to said inner conduit.

5. A system according to claim 4 in which said pipe extends across said'gutter, and said pipe having at least one discharge outlet for directing wash water into said gutter.

6. Apparatus comprising, a swimming pool, a filter and pump system disposed adjacent said pool, a return gutter around the periphery of said pool,.a plate disposed around the periphery of said pool and forming the bottom wall of said return gutter, a peripheral outer wall for said. gutter, a peripheral conduit fixed to said plate and forming the inner wall for said gutter, means connectingsaid return gutter to said pump and filter system, said conduit` having a plurality of outlets spaced around the periphery of said pool to discharge water intosaid pool, and means connecting said conduit to said pump and filter system for supplying filtered water to said conduit.

7. Apparatus comprising a swimming pool, a return gutter4 around the periphery of. said pool, a-platedis posed around the periphery of said pool and forming the bottom wall of said return gutter, an outer peripheral conduit fixed to said plate and forming an outer Wall for said gutter, an inner peripheral conduit fixed to said plate and forming the inner Wall for said gutter, said inner conduit having a plurality of outlets spaced around the periphery of said pool to discharge water into said pool, a filter system disposed adjacent said pool, conduit means connecting said gutter andy said peripheral conduit to said filter system, a pipe crossing said gutter and interconnecting said outer and inner conduits for supplying water from said outer conduit to said inner conduit, and outlets in said pipe for directing water into said gutter.

8. Apparatus comprising, a swimming pool, a return gutter around the periphery of said pool, a plate disposed around the periphery of said pool and forming the bottom wall of said return gutter, a peripheral outer Wall for said gutter, a peripheral conduit fixed to said plate and forming the inner wall for said gutter, said conduit having a plurality of outlets spaced around the periphery of said pool to discharge water into said pool, a filter system disposed adjacent said pool, conduit means connecting said gutter and said peripheral conduit to said filter system, and at least one Wash water outlet from said peripheral conduit directed toward said gutter to direct wash wa-ter from said conduit into said gutter, said wash water outlet being located at a position remote from the connection of said conduit means to said gutter.

9. Apparatus comprising, 'a swinnning pool, a return gutter around the periphery of said pool, a plate disposed around the periphery of said pool and forming the bottom wall of said return gutter, a peripheral outer wall for said gutter, a peripheral conduit fixed to 'said plate and forming the inner Wall for said gutter, said conduit having a plurality of outlets spaced around the periphery of said pool to discharge water into said pool, a filter system disposed adjacent said pool, conduit means connecting said gutter and said peripheral conduit to said filter system, and at least one inlet passageway from said pool to said gutter for the continuous passage of water from said pool into said gutter, said inlet passageway being located at a positionrremote from the connection of said conduit means to said gutter.

10. Apparatus comprising, a swimming pool, a return gutter around the periphery of sai-d pool, a plate disposed around the periphery of said pool and forming the bottom wall of said return gutter, a peripheral outer wall for. said gutter, a peripheral conduit fixed to said plate and forming the inner Vwall for said gutter, said conduit having a plurality of outlets spaced around the periphery of said pool to discharge water into said pool, a filter system disposed adjacent said pool, a supply conduit passing from said filter across said gutter and into said peripheral conduit, and a return conduit disposed on each side of said supply conduit and extending from said gutter through said outer wall to said filter system.

11. Apparatus comprising, a swimming pool, a return gutter around the periphery of said pool, said gutter comprising, a bottom wall, inner wall and outer wall extending around the periphery of said swimming pool at least one of said walls being hollow and forming a conduit for the supply of water to the periphery of said pool, and a plurality of outlets spaced along said conduit for discharging water into said pool.

12. Apparatus comprising, a swimming pool, a return gutter around the periphery of said pool, said gutter comprising, a bottom Wall, inner Wall and outer wall extending around the periphery of said swimming pool at least one of said Iwalls being hollow and forming a conduit for the supply of water to the periphery of said pool, a plurality of outlets spaced along said conduit for discharging Waterv into said pool, and means for continuously supplying said gutter with wash Water.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

